A couple months ago, I was walking around the farmers market in Hudson, Ohio with my Foundation I class from the Western Reserve School of Cooking. What a great way to start the day, walking around a farmers market with a bunch of other people who love food. This is where I was first exposed to the Lucky Penny Farm and Creamery. There were about nine of us from the class, all wearing our chef’s coats and carrying our fresh groceries for class that day. Talk about local food- the market is just outside the front door of WRSOC, so we just walked over to pick up the fresh vegetables and other goodies. The market in Hudson is definitely worth checking out if you haven’t done so already.

After speaking with several different vendors, we ended up at Lucky Penny. Abbe Turner, the owner, was sitting at the table when we rounded the corner. She stood up and shook all of our hands, introduced herself and then started a discussion on how her product fit into the food that we were making that day. It was a seamless transition for her.  Abbe spoke with passion about her cheese and the process for making it. She discussed the sustainable farming techniques they use at the farm and her daughter talked about all the goats they raise.  It’s a family business and everybody is involved.  I was immediately intrigued by her story. There were a couple samples sitting on the table, which I tried while she was speaking. I was intrigued by her cheese as well. After most of my fellow chefs-in-training moved on, I asked if there would be an opportunity to come out and take a look at the whole shootin match. She agreed.

A couple months later we managed to set up a date for me to come out and take a look at what’s happening at the Lucky Penny Creamery. I was definitely excited and one of my friends asked to come along as well. He runs the blog Drunk & Full and is a cheese connoisseur. Cheese is the chink in his armor and I was happy to have him along.  Jamie took all the pictures in this post- I lost mine due to a memory card failure.  Many thanks to Jamie for sending his through to me.

Lucky Penny is located in the Kent area and I would have had a hard time finding it without the GPS simply because of unfamiliarity with the area. When we arrived, we saw a lime green building and a lady working outside, scrubbing what looked to be a dismantled walk in refrigerator. Turns out that’s exactly what she was doing. As we learned later, the Lucky Penny Creamery needed significantly more cold storage space due to the increased demand for their product. It’s great to see a business that is growing.

Abbe believes in sustainability- they have a huge garden at the Creamery. Photo by Jamie Ginsberg

Abbe took us on a tour of the facility which is an old Labor Union hall that she has renovated. Upon entering the building, we were in a really large meeting room with huge windows, a dais and a cheese store. The space has huge potential to be used for gatherings as the Lucky Penny brand continues to gain traction. We were told that the space is available for use pretty much year round- I was thinking it would be a great space for a cooking class that highlighted the Lucky Penny cheese. You could easily fit fifty people in there. In one corner sits the retail store that has some great hand-written signs and enough space to hold a lot of goods.

Lucky Penny's Shop inside the Creamery. Photo by Jamie Ginsberg

We moved from there into the heart and soul of the facility: the cheese making area. We were able to check out the holding area for the milk and Abbe told us all about how it is delivered and stored until it is used. She discussed the importance of keeping the cheese making area sanitary as well as where they get all the milk from. The storage tank is huge.  They milk their own goats (I think she said they had around 100 on their farm property) and bring in goat milk from other local farmers.  She explained the quality control is of utmost importance to ensure that the end product is consistent.  The machinery at Lucky Penny is really impressive.  She also showed us the room where the actual cheese is being made.  At the time, they were in the process of making a big batch of feta.  I can’t remember exactly why we couldn’t go into that room, but I believe it was to not contaminate the room. Through the window, she told us all about what each machine does and where it came from. All of the machinery has been repurposed either from other cheese making facilities or dairies that store milk.  It’s all a part of the sustainability and recycling process which is important to this business.

This is the holding tank for the milk, the first step in the cheese making process. Photo by Jamie Ginsberg

After walking us through the whole process, Abbe pulled out some locally made crackers, some almonds, an apple and some of her wonderful cheese. We sat down to talk for a while about what she sees for the future of Lucky Penny.  The future looks bright with increasing demand for their high quality cheese and perhaps the introduction of additional styles as their facility continues to evolve.  Perhaps some aged cheese or other specialty cheeses might be coming down the line.  When they do, be sure to check them out.

Over the years, I have had a hard time finding good feta and I have to say that the Lucky Penny feta is some of the best in Cleveland. Typically I will look far and wide for some really good feta. Most commercial feta you buy is overly salty and sometimes very dry. I like a less salty, more moist feta. Some places that I have found it around town are at the Mediterranean market inside the West Side Market and at Alesci’s in Mayfield. Both are pretty good, but to me, the Lucky Penny feta is just about perfect.  Once you find a winner, why settle for second place?  One thing I would love to get my hands on is an uncrumbled block of feta from them so I can cut sheets or cubes to use in some recipes that I have in mind.

Talking about what the future holds for Lucky Penny. Mmm... Cheese. Photo by Jamie Ginsberg

I have used their feta in many dishes, but the standout was in the spinach feta tart (recipe up in the next week or so).  It was absolutely delicious and the feta just melted perfectly in your mouth. You can toss this feta into salads, stuff olives with it or layer flavor in your favorite Mediterranean dish without worrying that you have just knocked your salt balance way over the edge. I like an ingredient that plays nicely with other ingredients, particularly when it is made locally.

The Lucky Penny Chevre is very fresh and crisp tasting. I know that crisp is an odd descriptor for a goat cheese, but it hits it right on the head for some reason. This cheese hits your palate in such a way that it evokes a fresh, crisp feeling on your tongue. Although I have yet to cook with this ingredient, I have spread it on my homemade French Bread many times and everybody has loved it. During our visit, Abbe suggested that I try it on toast in the morning with a little quince jam. I couldn’t find quince jam, but tried it with a raspberry preserve and it was fantastic. I had never thought of putting chevre with a jelly before and it is divine.

Many local restaurants who are interested in the best quality product and believe in supporting locally produced goods are using Lucky Penny’s cheeses in their dishes. Although the cheese is a little more expensive than some of the other brands, the quality just can’t help but to shine through. Give it a shot and I’m sure that you’ll agree. Any restaurateurs out there who have chevre or feta as part of your menu, consider contacting Abbe to use their cheese. It’s really good stuff.

There’s a lot going on at the Lucky Penny Creamery, including a program that you may want to get involved with. They have started a Pots and Pans drive to provide cooking tools to those people in need. This project is in the final stages of being setup as a charitable organization, so it is tax deductible as well as just a good thing to do. Take a look through your pots and pans, particularly with the holidays coming up, and see if there are a couple that you haven’t used in a while. Take those down to the Lucky Penny Creamery and drop them off. I just went through mine and have about six to give to Abbe the next time I see her.  They plan on working with people to show them how to cook nutrient dense, local foods with the donated cookery.

If you are able to find Lucky Penny in your local store, make sure that you pick it up. It’s important for both restaurants and the local community to support our artisanal providers, plus it’s just really good cheese.  I wish Abbe and all the people at Lucky Penny continued success.  Now, it’s time to start making some more recipes with their product- be sure to keep an eye out in the next couple of weeks.

Look for the Lucky Penny logo next time you buy feta or chevre. Image from LuckyPennyFarm.com